Back Pain Treatment For All

When you’re suffering from episodic or chronic back pain, you need lasting relief, not a quick-fix masking of the symptoms that only ignores the underlying cause of your back pain. At Milwaukie Chiropractic, we offer clients numerous chiropractic and massage therapy services that go beyond treating the pain itself; our chiropractic and massage therapy techniques get to the root of your pain, identifying, addressing, and, ultimately, relieving you of pain — and correcting the pain-causing complication. With over 25 years of chiropractic practice, Dr. Keith D. Johns, D.C., P.C., and his team of licensed chiropractors and massage therapists are well-equipped to offer safe and effective joint and muscle pain relief by utilizing their years of experience and expertise. Curious about the specifics of the services offered at Milwaukie Chiropractic Center? Take a look below to learn more about our services and how we can help relieve you of your pain.

Chiropractic Adjustments

If you’ve never had the pleasure of visiting the chiropractor, it may seem like a bit of a strange approach to treating pain; how can contorting bodies into strange positions and generating the sounds of bubble wrap popping possibly help treat neck, back, shoulder, and overall joint pain? Excellent question! Subluxations — or misalignments of the vertebrae in our spines — are the culprits that bring about our pain. When Dr. Johns or one of our highly skilled chiropractors adjust your spine, the “pop” you hear is actually a good sign, as strange as it may seem. These popping sounds are actually your body realigning to its natural state. This is brought about by a gentle stretching of the spinal joint that releases built up air bubbles within the surrounding spinal fluid. When these bubbles escape, a popping sound is usually heard. Shortly after (and immediately after in some cases), you’ll notice more movement in your back or neck. This effective manual adjustment is used to treat:

Arthritis

Bursitis

Carpal tunnel syndrome and other repetitive strain disorders

Chronic muscle pain and stiffness

Headaches

Most musculoskeletal and sports-related injuries

Nerve disorders

Pain and stiffness in the back, chest, abdomen, neck, hips, and shoulders, as well as extremities, such as arms, legs, and feet

Sciatica pain

Scoliosis

Tendonitis

Whiplash and other traumatic injuries

How Chiropractic Adjustments are Performed

These adjustments are most commonly performed with the patient lying down on a specially-designed bench with a cushioned top; think of something similar to your primary care physician’s bench that they have you sit on, but with more control options for manual adjustments. Often, adjustments will involve resetting and slightly adjusting the settings on the bench for optimal control during your adjustment. As most chiropractic adjustments involve multiple techniques, it’s not uncommon for Dr. Johns or a member of the Milwaukie Chiropractic team to adjust the bench a few times during your visit. In doing so, multiple techniques are utilized, including:

Instrument adjustments: This involves a spring-loaded device that lets your chiropractor gently adjust certain points on your body that may need a more specific approach.

Lumbar roll: this procedure allows your chiropractor to implement a firm, quick thrust to a misaligned vertebra with you lying on your side.

Motion Palpation: This manual (hand) technique helps your chiropractor determine if your vertebrae are properly aligned or if the need for further adjustment is needed.

Table adjustments: One of the most common techniques and the one with which most patients are most familiar, table adjustments involve the patient lying on a specially designed table that drops when your chiropractor applies pressure to a specific area. The table’s dropping motion allows more gentle adjustments than with some manual adjustments.

Toggle drop: This gentle manual adjustment technique utilizes firm pressure applied to a specific area of the spine by using crossed hands.

Beyond Pain Relief

While chiropractic adjustments have been proven time and time again to relieve patient’s pain, these adjustments bring about additional benefits, including:

Increased blood flow

Increased pain tolerance levels

Increased range of motion

Increased bodily secretion of “good” chemicals, such as melatonin and endorphins

Reduced blood pressure

Reduced tension and muscle pressure

Massage Therapy Services

When most people think of massages, they think of a person at a spa, being pampered with all of the bells and whistles that come with a spa. While we can’t argue that this experience is often one of the most enjoyable ones, there are numerous other massage therapy techniques and approaches that are specially utilized for treating pain, rather than just enjoying a day at the spa. Our team of experienced and knowledgeable massage therapists are well-trained to assess, identify, and address your muscular pain.

But just what is the difference between massage therapy and other massage practices? While there are overlapping attributes, massage therapy involves a much more pinpointed approach to pain, utilizing techniques that are designed to alleviate the causes of your back pain. This approach involves manipulating the soft and supple body tissues that are plagued by discomfort, pain, muscle spasms and stress — one of the leading causes of bodily tension. Massage therapy works best as part of your chiropractic treatment plan. While massage therapy has been shown to treat a number of conditions, it also helps with:

Sleep apnea and insomnia

Sinusitis

Range of motion

Pain (chronic and temporary)

Myofascial pain

Jaw disorders

Injuries such as pulled or strained muscles and ligaments

Headaches

Digestive disorders, including spastic colon and constipation

Circulatory problems

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Asthma and bronchitis

Arthritis

Allergies

Chiropractic Care for a Better Body

When we say “better body,” we don’t mean to imply you’ll miraculously wake up with abs of steel or newfound sprinter’s speed; a better body is one that functions more optimally and — most importantly — with reduced or alleviated pain. As we’ve briefly outlined above, chiropractic and massage therapy services have been proven to address and treat myriad conditions that keep many of us from achieving the quality of life we crave and deserve. However, that improved quality of life is entirely possible when you choose to treat your neck, back, joint, and muscle pain with Milwaukie Chiropractic Center. With numerous years of both chiropractic and massage therapy training and practice, our team offers unparalleled expertise to create (with you) a chiropractic treatment plan that aims to leave you feeling better than you have in years. And, as no two patients’ conditions and needs are the same, you can rest assured that your treatment plan is created for your specific needs. Ready to take the first step in improving your quality of life? Reach out to us today to schedule your free, no-hassle chiropractic consultation today.